Recap: FC Dallas 4, Portland Timbers 1

Jesus Ferreira struck for a first-half hat trick, the first of his MLS career, to pace FC Dallas to a 4-1 win over the Portland Timbers in a battle of Western Conference foes Saturday night at Toyota Stadium.

Ferreira scored all three of his goals in a 10-minute span, the first coming in the 26th minute – a powerful first-time finish off the underside of the crossbar after Paul Arriola dummied a ball played across the box by Alan Velasco, who picked up his first MLS assist.

Ferreira snapped a header from inside the six-yard box off a returned ball from Nanú four minutes later and went with precision for his third goal, utilizing Claudio Bravo as a screen and directing a low shot in off a diving Aljaz Ivacic to give the hosts a 3-0 lead in the 36th minute.

Jaroslaw Niezgoda took down a lofted ball over the top by Sebastian Blanco and chipped it over a charging Maarten Paes to pull the Timbers back a goal in the 61st minute. But Arriola put the match away, tucking the ball inside the far post in the 77th minute, his first FC Dallas goal, off an assist from Ferreira.

Goals

• 26’ — DAL — Jesus Ferreira | WATCH
• 30’ — DAL — Jesus Ferreira | WATCH
• 36’ — DAL — Jesus Ferreira | WATCH
• 61’ — POR — Jaroslaw Niezgoda | WATCH
• 77’ — DAL — Paul Arriola | WATCH

Three Things

• THE BIG PICTURE: FC Dallas made it consecutive wins over Western Conference opposition. It was a flying first 45 minutes with Jesus Ferreira, Paul Arriola and Alan Velasco combining well to tear apart the Timbers' defense. FCD had to hold off a charge in the second half by Portland after a first half that Timbers boss Giovanni Savarese called “a disaster" before Arriola's settling goal.
• MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Ferreira’s first goal was a thing of beauty, with Paxton Pomykal spraying a ball out wide to Velasco, who sent a low service across the goal with Arriola dummying before the powerful finish.

• MAN OF THE MATCH: As our own Tom Bogert noted ahead of Gregg Berhalter’s roster decisions, the form of prospective No. 9s for the US men’s national team wasn’t very good. Maybe a first-career hat trick just ahead of the international break by Ferreira was what the doctor ordered before an Estadio Azteca showdown vs. Mexico.

Next Up

• DAL: Saturday, April 2 at Chicago Fire FC | 3:30 pm ET (Univision, TUDN, Twitter in US; on DAZN in Canada)
• POR: Sunday, March 27 vs. Orlando City SC | 4:00 pm ET (ESPN, ESPN Deportes in US; on DAZN in Canada)